Capasso named new director of Fitchburg Art Museum

Nicholas Capasso, the newly appointed director of the Fitchburg Art Museum.

Nicholas Capasso was recently appointed director of the Fitchburg Art Museum by the museum's board of trustees. He will join the museum on Dec. 3.

Mr. Capasso is deputy director for curatorial affairs at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln. He is a member of the museum's senior management team and served as its acting director in 2007-2008.

“I am most eager to join the fabulous team at the Fitchburg Art Museum, and to bring my experience and passion for art and education to bear on this wonderful institution. I look forward to working with a collection chock-full of treasures, and to strengthening the museum's ties to its multiple communities. I am particularly excited to have the opportunity to work closely with Mayor Lisa Wong and the city of Fitchburg, as well as with President Robert Antonucci at Fitchburg State University,” Mr. Capasso said.

Mr. Capasso holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history and geography from Clark University in Worcester, as well as a Master of Arts and Ph.D. in art history from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. He attended the Getty Museum Leadership Institute in 2011.

“Nick is a highly qualified leader with the experience and credentials to match the high standards of the Fitchburg Art Museum,” said Joe Sylvia, co-chair of the director search committee. “His experience as a curator and his enthusiasm for art are shown in his creative ideas for exhibitions that span and unite contemporary and historic art.”

Mr. Capasso will take over the reins of the Fitchburg Art Museum from Peter Timms, who has been director since 1973 and retires in December, effective at the museum's annual meeting.

“Peter has brought us to the stature we have today, particularly in the areas of our collection, building expansions and education,” said Lynne Benoit-Grzyb, co-chair of the search committee. “The museum has been accredited by the American Association of Museums twice and has been a lynchpin in the revitalization of downtown Fitchburg.”

Julia Harriman of Lunenburg, a student at Lunenburg High School, was selected as a delegate to represent the Massachusetts 4-H Horse Program at the Big E in West Springfield.

She averaged in the top five, placing in all of her classes, and served as a 4-H ambassador by educating the public on the organization and horse program.

Julia also participated in a test on horse knowledge and competed in a horse judging competition.

She has participated in 4-H for seven years and has served as a 4-H officer for six years.

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About 530 middle and high school students from area schools traveled to Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner for the United Way Youth Venture of North Central Massachusetts Fall Kick Off on Oct. 19.

Now in its 10th year, the United Way Youth Venture of North Central Massachusetts is a three-way partnership between the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, Ashoka's Youth Venture and MWCC, which manages the program. The program encourages young people to initiate positive, lasting social change in their communities.

Of all of the Youth Venture partnerships nationally, UWYV of North Central Massachusetts holds the largest contingent of engaged students and teams. Since 2002, 165 teams have launched ventures, with 136 remaining active. In the past year, 40 teams have been launched across all partnering schools, which represents a 20 percent increase from last year. More than 2,500 students are actively engaged in the program and more than 8,000 students are exposed to it annually.

Some students, such as Jonathan Crawford of Fitchburg High School, are newcomers to Youth Venture. “I feel inspired to start my own venture. I want to raise money to buy books for students in the Middle East,” he said. The school has launched 18 teams since the start of their partnership in 2005, with 13 of those remaining active.

Other students, such as Danielle Patton of Leominster High School, have been involved with Youth Venture for years. Danielle participated in Youth Venture in eighth-grade and now participates as a high school student in Friends of Rachel's Challenge, an LHS venture team dedicated to ending bullying in school.

Gage Butler of Gardner, who participated last year as part of the Venture team, Appreciate the Arts, at Monty Tech, returned this year as a program volunteer. “Through Youth Venture I learned to look at my community more in North Central Massachusetts and feel more connected and dedicated to it,” he said.

The Fitchburg public schools recently invited all school staff and City Hall employees to showcase their creative side in all forms of art. As a result, the All-City Art Show will feature a wide range of media and styles created by teachers, a local librarian, office assistants and districtwide administrators.

An opening reception will be held from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 14 in the lobby of the Fitchburg Art Museum, 25 Merriam Parkway. The art show will through Nov. 27 during museum hours.